discretionary

American  

[dih-skresh-uh-ner-ee] / dɪˈskrɛʃ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. subject or left to one's own discretion.

2. for any use or purpose one chooses; not earmarked for a particular purpose.

   discretionary income; a discretionary fund.

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discretionary British  

/ -ənrɪ, dɪˈskrɛʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. having or using the ability to decide at one's own discretion

   discretionary powers

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Other Word Forms

• discretionarily adverb
• nondiscretionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of discretionary

First recorded in 1690–1700; discretion + -ary

Explanation

Discretionary means it's up to you to decide. Bathing regularly is a discretionary act, so you can opt not to do it if you want; note, however, that your friends might disagree with us on this. Discretionary is often used to describe money that isn’t designated for a particular purpose. It’s up to the people in charge to decide how discretionary funds should be spent. Discretionary comes from the word discretion, which can be used to mean “the right to decide something based on one’s own judgment.” If you're given a task to complete at your discretion, you can decide how you want to do it — or whether you want to do it at all.

Example Sentences

“Declining confidence, geopolitical uncertainty and rising living costs—especially fuel—are still encouraging caution and fewer discretionary trips,” Sumpter added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“Families who depend on petroleum products to commute to jobs and school and to heat their homes may need to pull back on more discretionary forms of spending,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

That’s not chump change — and it could require pulling back on discretionary spending such as dining out or travel, or redirecting any future raises, bonuses or tax refunds toward your retirement fund.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

“Of this amount, the Budget includes $1.1 trillion in base discretionary budget authority specifically for DoW in 2027,” reads part of the release.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Most prosecutors’ offices lack any manual or guidebook advising prosecutors how to make discretionary decisions.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• unrestricted